Display sign construction



P 22, 19,53 M. LA BAR'BERA 2,652,651

DISPLAY SIGN CONSTRUCTION Filed D66. 9, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

v m {/2 32 MANN/E LA BARBER/J TRANS RENT BY A PLASTIC 28 MA Sept. 22, 1953 Filed Dec. 9, 1949 M. LA BARBERA v 2,652,651

DISPLAY SIGN CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MANN/E LABARBERA Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES OFFICE 1 Claim.

1, This invention relates to a display sign construction and method of making the same.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a display sign construction having letters or numbers with reflecting elements therein wherein the reflecting elements will be held rigidly within plastic bodies and such that they cannot be readily removed or destroyed and so that they will withstand rain. snow and sleet and wherein the reflecting bodies are held firmly in a plastic molded body forming the letters or groups of letters making up the display sign.

It is another object of the present invention to so construct the reflecting elements of display letters that they can be readily held in an upright manner within a plastic mold so that they will be kept properly aligned as the fluid plastic is extended into the mold and about the reflecting elements and whereby proper reflecting action will be had by the rounded reflecting elements,

ally extending armsthereon with point contacts which will be available regardless of the length which the arms of the reflecting elements are out, there being contacting portions at the opposite sides of the reflecting elements adapted to engage with the face of the male mold part.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a molded assembly of a plurality of letters having reflecting material wherein the letters themselves, upon the reflecting material being sealed within them, are molded into a single plastic body thereby to seal the reflecting I material within the individual letters and topmvide a single plastic body having a plurality of these letters which; can be easily installed as a following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display sign embodying the plastic reflecting letters constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the plastic reflecting letters.

Fig. 3 is a collective and exploded view of the mold which is used for forming the letter.

and wherein the reflecting elements have lateriing elements.

Fig. '5 isa perspective view of the reflecting element turned upside down to view the back thereof.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the reflecting element showing the mirror silver thereupon.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a modified form of arefiecti-ng element.

Fig. 8 is a sectional View of the mold parts assembled together and with the reflecting elements in place to receive the fluid plastic about them.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a letter as viewed on line 9- 9 of Fig. 2 excepting only that theelements are shown in elevation.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a display sign using a letter assembly embodying the features of another form of the invention.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the letter assembly.

Fig. 12 is a back perspective view of one of the letters.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one of the lettersillustrating the manner in which the reflecti-ngi sheet-is disposed therewithin.

View takenon line i 6 -46 of Fig. 11, and of the completed letter assembly.

Fig. ii is afragmentary sectional view of a letter assembly -constructed according to a still further formof the invention wherein the sealing material does not have to be poured into the back of the letter before the molding operation with the plastic;

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 to 9, in-

clusive, 20- reprcsents a board having letters 2! thereon of waterproof construction made in ac cordaiice with the present invention. These boards 2b are fixedtc a post 23 in front of a dwelling or any other building structure at to indicate the name of the occupantor for any other reason in which the display may be needed. {The same post 23 may support an upper sign or board 25 having numerals 26 thereon with the same reflecting characteristics as the letters 2!. Each-of the boards 26 and '25 are made of wood and are notched at their ends, as indicated at 21, to: give a'rustic appearance.

Each of the letters or numbers has a plurality of spaced reflecting. button elementszt embedded therein. The letters or numbers are constructed of a block of plastic material 29 following the contour of the letter or number and receiving and supporting said elements 28 in a manner to be presently described. Said reflecting elements are provided with rounded forward ends which extend outwardly and freely from the front face of the finished product as illustrated.

Each element 28 has ears 3! and 32 extending respectively from the opposite sides of the same and at the rear portion thereof. Said ears 3| and 32 act as anchoring elements to lock the reflecting buttons securely within the completed molded structure. These reflecting elements are transparent and of lens formation and have a curved reverse face 33 which is covered with mirror silver 34. This mirror silver may be covered with an opaque substance or paint-like material but if the plastic body 29 in which the reflecting elements are embedded is of opaque material, such opaque paint over the mirror silver is unnecessary. Each of the ears has on its back face a projecting dot or teat 35 which has a pin point engagement with the inner face of upper mold die 36 whereby to stabilize the reflecting elements in lower mold die 3'! and in small holes 38 thereof. The upper mold die has small concavities 39 into which the plastic material will flow to cover the rear face of the reflecting elements 28 and surround the projecting dots 35. These dots may appear only as pin points on the rear face of the completed letter or numeral.

The mold die 36 has openings 4! for receiving respectively pins 42 of the mold die 31 to properly align these mold dies when they are assembled. The fluid plastic flows into the mold space through the passage 44. In one of the mold dies pins or projections 45 are provided to form openings 4B in the finished plastic body 29 for receiving screws serving to connect the individual letters or numbers to their respective backing boards.

In Fig. 7 is a modified form of a reflecting element, indicated generally at 41, wherein ear projections 48 and 49 are provided with truncated or ribbed projections providing line contact with the inner face of the mold part 35. With such an arrangement, the ear projections can be made of any desired length and then cut to the exact size that is needed and always providing for the rib or raised formation for the engagement with the inner face of the mold die 36 regardless of the length to which the ear projection is out. It will be apparent that with these ribbed or raised formations on the reflecting elements said reflecting elements will be held firmly within the mold and against displacement while the liquid mold material flows around them and forms the plastic letter or numeral containing the reflecting element. The rounded ends of the reflecting elements will project forwardly of the forward face of the plastic material in lens fashion. Any light which is directed toward these letters or numerals in the night time will be reflected back to make possible the reading of the letters.

Referring now particularly to Figs. to 1'7, there is shown a modified form of construction wherein the letters are assembled on a plastic body and the body in turn placed upon a board or backing. This plastic body carrying the letter is indicated generally at 54 and is attached by screws 55 to a board 56 supported upon a post 5'1. The several letters of the plastic body are indicated at 58 and have in them a luminous 4 strip 59 which will be bright when the light is focused on the letter.

Each letter, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, is formed of transparent plastic and of channel section. The luminous strip is laid in each letter. Thereafter a sealing compound BI is poured from a vessel 62, Fig. 14, into each letter to retain the luminous strip 59 in place and flat against the inner face of the letter.

Thereafter, the letter 58 may be placed in a mold die such as described in connection with the first form of the invention in order to hold the letters in place and a top mold die is employed whereby to mold a plastic body 54 about the letters and over the sealing compound 6| so as to fully enclose the channel spaces within the letters and provide a composite assembly.

In Fig. 17 there is shown a construction in which the sealing compound 61 is dispensed with. The plastic mold is so formed that the plastic material will pass directly into the channel and against the luminous strip material whereby to thoroughly seal the same within the letter channel. The plastic body is indicated at 63 and enters each letter channel in the manner as indicated at $4. This saves one step in the method of making the assembly.

It should be apparent that there has been provided a reflecting light arrangement which is weather and moisture proof and wherein the reflecting substance is maintained in good condition at all times, and accordingly, the display elements will have long life and have maximum effectiveness throughout their use. In the first form of the invention, the rear faces of the lens elements are treated with mirror silver and over them is the molded plastic body which fixes the silver and protects and maintains the letter or numeral in good condition. In the second form of the invention, the luminous strip is thoroughly protected and maintained in a smooth and straight position within the letter casings by the sealing compound and the molded plastic forming plate which connects the letters together.

With the small lens or reflecting elements provided with ear proections with raised dots or teats, the fluid plastic can easily cover the rear face of the element and at the same time the elements are maintained in the proper position between the die parts. They cannot tilt or become out of alignment during the molding operation. By using suitable plastic materials before the molding, the silvering of the lens may be dispensed with. If desired, the rear face of the lens can be treated with luminous or phosphorescent pigments. Likewise, the rear face of the lens elements can be treated with aluminum or with foil. These lens elements or channel letters are previously formed of clear plastic material.

The method consists in forming reflecting or lettering elements, providing these elements with reflecting or luminous material on their rear faces, and thereafter causing fluid plastic material to be molded about the elements and over the treated surface of the elements.

It will be seen that there has'been provided a display device wherein the plastic is molded about the reflecting elements or lenses thereby to lock them in perfectly aligned positions. The lenses are also so connected in the plastic body that they cannot be tampered with or removed as in the case of previously formed letters wherein the lenses'were held in place by a molding substance inserted in the back of the letters with the fingers.

With the present construction, the lens elements are so looked that they ar tamper-proof. All lenses are protruded from the front face of the plastic an equal extent. The lenses are absolutely sealed in the molded plastic against moisture so that the rear reflecting faces and th mirror silver are protected. Up until the present invention, the lenses were set by hand in drilled holes and then cemented in place.

While the illustrations have been made to letters and numerals, it shall be understood that medallions, ornamental figures or shapes, caution markers, highway signals and other objects which require reflection can be formed in the same manner.

What is claimed is:

A display device comprising a molded plastic body respresenting a figure, letter or the like, said plastic body having a front face and a recessed rear face with convex raised portions and a plurality of transparent reflecting elements disposed in said plastic body at spaced locations therein, each of said reflecting elements having a rearwardly convexed reflecting wall portion spaced from the rear face of the plastic body and a rounded button-like portion integral with said reflecting wall portion and extending forwardly therefrom and outwardly beyond the front face of the plastic body and opposed laterally extending ear portions extending laterally outwardly from the periphery of the reflecting wall portion, each of said ear portions having rearwardly-extending projections projecting rearwardly a distance equal to the thickness of the material of the convex raised portion and surrounded by the plastic material, said reflecting element excepting for the button-like portion being wholly molded within the plastic body and securely held therein.

MANNIE LA BARBERA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,146,397 Bourquin July 13, 915 1,997,500 Swarovski Apr. 9, 1935 2,050,255 Bell Aug. 11, 1936 2,069,319 Lounsberry Feb. 2, 1937 2,163,814 Swarovski June 2'7, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 194,034 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1923 

